Romanov Family Albums

The six Romanov Family Albums held at the Beinecke Library represent a unique survival from the last years of Russian Imperial dynasty. Taken between 1907 and 1915, the hundreds of pictures contained in these albums date from the first flowering of popular photography, when new breakthroughs in technology put cameras into the hands of amateurs, who were able to capture impromptu moments of everyday life on a massive scale. The “snapshots” in the Romanov albums record such moments in the private life not just of any family, but of one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious ruling houses. Rescued by the Tsarina’s friend and intimate confidante, Anna Vyrubova, the albums are indeed a truly remarkable survival.

The Romanov Collection is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.